Mercy Otis Warren, playwright and essayist
Anti-federalist
Mercy wrote several anti-loyalist plays before and during the revolution. Both her husband and brother were noted revolutionaries. Her brother is credited with the coinage of the phrase "No taxation without representation". Her husband was a Massachusetts militia general and paymaster of the continental army. Mercy needed no man to influence politics. Along with her Abigail Adams and Martha Washington, she raised awareness about women's issue. John Adams, her literary mentor, told her husband that it would be criminal to stop her pen. This was highly irregular in a time when women were treated as prized breeders at best. She also wrote a complete history of the revolution before her death. Neither she nor her husband attended the congress. She was good enough to advise the forefathers, but not good enough to vote with them.
Friends ( in high places)
John and Abilgail Adams
Samuel Adams
John Hancock
Patrick Henry
Thomas Jefferson
George and Martha Washington
Foes
Pretty much all Federalists
Angered John Adams with her History of the American Revolution
Reasons Opposed:
1. Thought the Republican form of government outlined in the constitution was a bit too close to a monarchy.
2. There was no security of rights. Once the government had gained the control it desired, rights of free press and the like would disappear.
3. The powers of the judicial branch had no defined limits.
4. Executive and Legislative branches are not distinct from each other.
5. Trial by jury in civil cases was abolished.
6. The Supreme Court had too large a jurisdiction.
7. The representation was inadequate and Congress could make laws concerning the election of said representatives.
8. There was no bill of rights.
9. Only nine states needed to ratify for the Constitution to become the law of the land, which she believed could lead to civil war.
10. The people who are to ratify the constitution are uninformed about it and urged to hurry.
11. The "pass now, we'll amend it later" mentality smarted of Britains "submit now, we'll make it up to you later" policies.
12. the Congress was held in secret. The people for who the constitution was written were not allowed to know it was even being written before it had been finished.
Anti-federalist
Mercy wrote several anti-loyalist plays before and during the revolution. Both her husband and brother were noted revolutionaries. Her brother is credited with the coinage of the phrase "No taxation without representation". Her husband was a Massachusetts militia general and paymaster of the continental army. Mercy needed no man to influence politics. Along with her Abigail Adams and Martha Washington, she raised awareness about women's issue. John Adams, her literary mentor, told her husband that it would be criminal to stop her pen. This was highly irregular in a time when women were treated as prized breeders at best. She also wrote a complete history of the revolution before her death. Neither she nor her husband attended the congress. She was good enough to advise the forefathers, but not good enough to vote with them.
Friends ( in high places)
John and Abilgail Adams
Samuel Adams
John Hancock
Patrick Henry
Thomas Jefferson
George and Martha Washington
Foes
Pretty much all Federalists
Angered John Adams with her History of the American Revolution
Reasons Opposed:
1. Thought the Republican form of government outlined in the constitution was a bit too close to a monarchy.
2. There was no security of rights. Once the government had gained the control it desired, rights of free press and the like would disappear.
3. The powers of the judicial branch had no defined limits.
4. Executive and Legislative branches are not distinct from each other.
5. Trial by jury in civil cases was abolished.
6. The Supreme Court had too large a jurisdiction.
7. The representation was inadequate and Congress could make laws concerning the election of said representatives.
8. There was no bill of rights.
9. Only nine states needed to ratify for the Constitution to become the law of the land, which she believed could lead to civil war.
10. The people who are to ratify the constitution are uninformed about it and urged to hurry.
11. The "pass now, we'll amend it later" mentality smarted of Britains "submit now, we'll make it up to you later" policies.
12. the Congress was held in secret. The people for who the constitution was written were not allowed to know it was even being written before it had been finished.
"Mercy Otis Warren." NNDB. 2008. Soylent Communications. 12 Feb 2009 <http://www.nndb.com/people/669/000114327/>.
"Mercy Otis Warren." Wikipedia. 04 Feb 2009. Wikimedia. 12 Feb 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Otis_Warren>.
Warren, Mercy. Observations on the Constitution. Boston: 1788.